About Gabriela Hernández

Multidisciplinary designer, researcher and professor, working on social and cross-cultural design, development, ethnographic research methods, and information design. Read complete bio.

About

I’m Gaby Hernández, a multidisciplinary graphic designer, researcher and educator. In May 2011, I graduated with a Master in Fine Arts in Graphic Design, at the University of Florida. My MFA Creative Project explored ways to visualize the story of the Women’s Association of Chira Island, Costa Rica, through Time, Space, and Voice. To know more about my project, visit this page.

I believe that graphic design is one of the most powerful tools to leverage change, help improve people’s lives, support development and entrepreneurship, as well as systems and how information is communicated, employing a good story as anchor to encourage empathy, while concentrating in the end-user and their context.

Currently, I am working as Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at the University of Houston-Downtown, where I have founded the Graphic Design Research Initiative (GDRI), a self-sustained, collaborative initiative focused on the study and practice of design research, design for social impact, and information design. With a team of students, I develop projects locally, nationally, and internationally that offer substantial, effective, and innovative design solutions for real-world communication problems, based on the methods and practices of design research and design thinking.

My professional and academic experience also include design research, ethnography, mass communication, marketing, and audiovisual and print production. I’m always eager to collaborate in art direction, design research, design for change, and information design projects across disciplines, cultures, and contexts. I’m specially interested in projects with an educational and social impact component.

Please keep looking through my website to know more about what I do. For my latest CV, contact me directly.

MFA CREATIVE PROJECT

In May, 2011 I graduated with a MFA in Graphic Design from the University of Florida. My creative project explores visual storytelling mediums in rural Costa Rica. Know more about this project here.

TEACHING

Click here for info about my teaching activities and philosophy.
If you desire to know more about my teaching and professional design experience, you can reach me here.

CONTACT ME

I currently live in Houston, TX. Email me anytime to hear about your projects and how we can collaborate.
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